The opening of the new BLOX building, the emerging district of Refshaleøen, Noma’s new baby and a very sweet trend: chefs turning to baking

2018 is one of the most interesting years in Danish gastronomic history. You have maybe heard a bird or two singing about Noma’s opening of their 2.0 restaurant just outside Christiania. But René Redzepi is not the only one developing the Copenhagen food scene; New restaurants, bakeries, wine bars, coffee stalls and more are popping up every week in Copenhagen. People from all over the world come to Copenhagen these days to learn and find inspiration. These are the newest hotspots in town everybody is talking about.

Barr

Noma’s baby

Noma’s little brother restaurant Barr opened in the autumn of 2017 in Noma’s former venue on Copenhagen’s waterfront. Thorsten Schmidt and René Redzepi have created this casual restaurant and bar that serves rustic and hearty food from Northern Europe with a focus on beer pairings. Barr’s menu embodies the spirit of what they call they Northern Sea Cuisine. Former chef and owner of Malling & Schmidt in Aarhus, Thorsten Schmidt is now interested in exploring the humble, yet delicious food from his childhood. You can expect food inspired by the cuisines of all the beer-producing countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. Iconic dishes like salted waffles, schnitzel, sauerkraut and Danish meatballs from the chef’s childhood memories, can be enjoyed in a cozy and inviting space.

Andersen & Maillard

Chefs turning to baking

A trend going on in Copenhagen right now is that chefs are becoming bakers, and Andersen & Maillard is one of the best examples of it, having just opened in February 2018. Former pastry chef at Amass, Milton Abel has, together with Hans Kristian Andersen from Copenhagen Coffee Lab, opened this coffee roastery and bakery in an old bank branch in Nørrebro. They bring out amazing croissant from the oven two times a day – it’s better to follow them on Instagram to know the exact time, because they sell like hot cakes! Organic butter, organic flour and all the love they could give are the main ingredients. Go for the espresso glazed or the almond one, dusted by sliced almonds and sugar or spread their whipped butter on a slice of sourdough bread.Add a flat white on the side and you’ve got the perfect breakfast.

Reffen district

Copenhagen’s new up-and-coming urban neighbourhood, Refshaleøen, will soon get a new playground for creative minds and street food enthusiasts near the waterfront. The new project has been given the working title “Reffen”, which is the nickname of the island. The idea is to create a community and playground for innovative projects, pop-ups, creative workshops, gastronomy, design and cultural events of all kinds. Refshaleøen is blooming and has already attracted business such as the brewery Mikkeller, Noma 2.0, La Banchina, the restaurant Amass (owned and operated by the former head chef of Noma, Matt Orlando) and Aamanns Kitchen, as well as the festivals Haven, Copenhell, Distortion and Move CPH.

DAC - Danish Architecture Center

Opening in May 2018, the new Danish Architecture Center (DAC) is the new project hosted at BLOX, the massive building designed by the Dutch firm OMA. The area in Frederiksholm is the former site of King’s Brewery, which operated for more than 150 years until the sixties. BLOX is much more than a building: it’s virtually a new neighbourhood on the harbour front in historical, central Copenhagen.The new house for urban development, construction, architecture and design include room for work, exhibitions, research and, of course, a café. The Danish Architecture Center occupies a central position in BLOX and offers world-class exhibitions, guided tours, events, a design shop, a café and conference and teaching facilities. The first exhibition is named “Welcome Home’” and is about a kaleidoscope of different angles on Danish homes and housing dreams.